CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BACHELOR OF ARTS
THEMES
Since this is a Bildungsroman novel, theme of emotional
growth/maturity of the protagonist is dominant. The novel shares this theme with the first
novel in the trilogy, Swami and Friends,
and focuses on the development of the protagonist from immaturity to maturity
and from innocence to experience. Swami
and Friends has a young ten year old boy Swami who does not want to part
with his friend Rajam, but is forced to do so as Rajam’s father is transferred.
This breaks his heart and he escapes into jungle. This heartbreak is a great
step towards him attaining maturity and growth from childhood to adolescence. In
The Bachelor of Arts Chandran grows
from being a young adult to being a worldly wise family man. He faces
heartbreak, runs away from home, becomes a sanyasi, returns and tries to
correct all the wrongs that he has done. His journey is from being a carefree,
cheerful college student to becoming a responsible son and husband.
In the college, Chandran
is like any other ordinary student who is scared of his teachers and who has
his own set of prejudices and snobbery. When he wins the debate and wants to
celebrate with Ramu and plans for a night show, he is initially scared to seek
permission of his father, yet he gathers courage and pulls himself up by thinking
that he is an adult, should behave like one, and should talk to his father
without any fear.
When he is made the
secretary of Historical Association, he initially does not like the idea of
being a secretary. He has a certain prejudice against the secretaries of
various associations of the college. But now that he is made one, the leader in
him takes hold and he organizes the meetings with great enthusiasm and
maturity. This is a step ahead in his growth where he sheds his prejudice and
fulfills his responsibility.
When he falls for
Malathi and fantasizes about her, he behaves like any other teenage boy newly
fallen in love. But when this love and longing torment him, he decides to talk
to his father about marrying her. Initially he is so scared that he just cannot
bring himself to initiate the talk. But the next day when he is about to leave
his father’s room without talking, he thinks that he would be unworthy of
Malathi if he continued behaving like a coward. He goes back and declares to
his father that he wants to marry her. From a teenage lover boy, he matures
into a responsible man who can decide for his life.
His rebellious nature
and modern and unconventional outlook about society becomes obvious in the way
he reacts to the horoscope debacle. He is outraged and is almost on the verge
of rebellion when Krishna Iyer categorically dismisses the alliance.
He, in a true immature teenage fashion, writes a
letter to Malathi and asks her to write only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on a piece of paper
to his proposal and he would wait for her. All his mental poise and strength
goes to the winds when he witnesses Malathi’s wedding notice celebrations. He
is not able to handle this and falls ill.
Later when he is in
Madras in Kailas’ company, his profligate ways trouble him and he is mature
enough to know the difference between good and bad, and leaves his company immediately.
Though he sees a lot
of this world during his sanyasi days, he is still not able to come to terms
with the Malathi episode, blames Malathi for all that happened and for his
miserable condition. He is still not mature enough to deal with his heartbreak.
After wandering for eight long months he realizes that his renunciation is
different from the renunciation of other sages who do it for spiritual
attainments. He has done this as an alternative to suicide. He feels guilty of
cheating innocent people and also his parents. Finally, he is able to see
things with a lot more clarity. This eight months period has given him a better,
balanced perspective. But he is still not mature enough to NOT think ill of
Malathi and let this episode remain just as an addition to his experience of
people and the world.
Back home, he is
happy to be reunited with his family. He finds a good friend in Mohan and
confides in him. He does not want to be financially dependent on his father
anymore. He starts his own business and is almost back to his normal, earlier
self. But when, after one year of his homecoming, his father comes to his
office and asks about his willingness to consider a new proposal for marriage,
all the smothered flames start burning bright and he rejects considering it. But
he is matured enough now to understand his parents expectations and wishes and he calls Mohan for a man-to-man talk and
discusses the whole issue. When he is convinced that he is ready to move ahead
in his life, he accompanies his mother to the bride-meeting ceremony. One
glimpse of Susila is enough for him to fall in love once again. On his way back
home, his mind is full of Susila’s thoughts, her name is so musical as compared
to Malathi’s which is odious and almost like a tongue twister.
It takes him some
more time before all the ill-will and malice is removed from his heart and he
is able to think good for Malathi. He is content with his life, and this
contentment helps him take people and circumstances in his stride. He thinks well
of everyone, wishes good for them and has grown up enough to understand the
fact that all the people have some struggles to attend to.
- THEME OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
All of R. K. Narayan’s
novels have family relations as one of the most prominent themes. Family serves as a catalyst that helps the
protagonist stay rooted and firm even amidst a whirl of conflicts. In this
novel also Chandran’s anchor in life is his family that loves him
unconditionally. He has his parents and a younger brother Seenu in his family.
His father is a retired District Judge who, though having his own set of traditional
beliefs, and also prejudices, is liberal
to a great extent, and has a different idea regarding disciplining his son.
When Chandran wants to go for a night movie show and asks his father about it,
he does consent to it but at the same time makes it clear that he does not want
Chandran to make it a habit.
In the Malathi
episode, though he is also not very happy with the gap between Krishna Iyer’s
status and his own, he still goes ahead with the talks for Chandran’s
happiness. When Chandran is not satisfied with Ganapati Sastrigal’s
interpretation of horoscopes, he consults another astrologer to be doubly sure.
He tries all that he
can to be an understanding father, yet he respects his wife’s opinion regarding
important household matters. Chandran is rebellious and raises his voice
against the suffocating customs. His father still does not lose his cool and tries
to understand Chandran’s feelings.
In fact Chandran’s
father is like a solid, strong rock of support and understanding in his life.
Chandran revolts and runs away. When he sends telegram to ask him for some
money, he sends double the money asked. When Chandran is back his father keeps
all his reservations aside to help him start his business. Even in the matter
of marriage, he is caring and cautious enough not to force Chandran and give
him his space and time.
Chandran’s mother, on
the other hand, is a bit more conservative and believes more religiously in societal
norms. She is every bit a conventional, traditional, pious, god fearing mother.
She considers herself to be the custodian of their family name and prestige. Yet
her beliefs are not rigid enough to obliterate her son’s suffering. She is not
happy with the idea of Chandran marrying Malathi, yet she consents to the
alliance when she sees her son pining and longing in love.
She takes care of
Chandran’s smallest needs and wishes. When Chandran comes back after months, he
finds that her mother has kept his room exactly the way he left it.
Chandran’s brother
Seenu is also a source of positivity in his life. Chandran has a brush with the
world and its profligate and misleading ways while he is in Madras all by
himself. It is his strong bonding with his family, and good family values that
save him from going astray. Though he has never faced the world before, he
understands the difference between right and wrong, and saves himself from
falling a prey to the temptations of the world.
Despite all his
follies, his family accepts him wholeheartedly. It is strong family
relationships that keep him grounded and sane. When he is back, he is
considerate enough to not reveal anything to his parents about his whereabouts.
He knows that it would cause immense pain and agony to his parents if they get
to know that he became a sanyasi.
The theme of family
relationship also surfaces in the horoscope episode. D. W. Krishna Iyer’s
financial and social status is far below that of Chandran’s father Mr.
Venkatchala Iyer. An alliance with Chandran’s family would have been an
impossibility otherwise. Despite all this, he refuses to risk his daughter’s
life for the sake of an excellent alliance. He is firm in his refusal and it
shows his concern and care for his family.
Family relationships
are the pivot around which the lives of all the character revolve.
Chandran’s friends
and their support and guidance play a major role in making Chandran a responsible
adult. Chandran’s family provide him emotional support and strength, but his
friends offer him an emotional release, a channel where he can let out his
insecurities, emotional challenges, and trauma. Chandran’s friends Ramu, Mohan,
Natesan, and Veeraswami contribute in their own diverse ways in sorting
Chandran’s life.
When the novel opens
Chandran is an undergraduate student of Albert Mission College and Ramu is his
dearest friend. He is not just his classmate, but also his neighbor as he lives
in Lawley Extension next to Chandran’s house. Ramu and Chandran have their
share of college fun together, they discuss their professors, talk about their
future plans, and share their anxieties with each other.
When Chandran and
Ramu go for a night show, Chandran feels happy that he has a friend like Ramu
by his side. He is a source of boundless laughter, and provides running
commentary on men and manners. Night show is something that has to be approached
with a certain formality, preceded by a tiffin at a hotel and followed by betel
chewing and cigarettes. They enjoy this whole ceremony together and Chandran
feels that he could never have been able to have this much fun without Ramu by
his side.
They also have their
share of tiffs and quarrels. Chandran is already upset about the fact that
Prof. Raghavachar has summoned him for a meeting. Ramu cracks a joke at
Chandran’s expense, and he flares up. They have an argument and Ramu goes home
without Chandran. Chandran, after meeting the professor, goes to Ramu’s place
and makes up with him. He feels sorry for his behavior and they are back to
their old selves again. They value each other’s company.
Chandran misses Ramu
the most when he leaves Malgudi after their graduation. He goes to the banks of
Sarayu all alone and misses his remarks and observations about people. He
misses Ramu the most because both of them have the same interests and taste. When
he is back after eight months’ absence, he desperately seeks Ramu’s company to divulge
all the secrets of his wanderings as a sanyasi. He also feels hurt that Ramu
has not informed him about his job with Railways in Bombay.
In Ramu’s absence it
is Mohan with whom Chandran acquires a great level of intimacy. Mohan is also
his college buddy and is a poet who wants an audience. When he requests
Chandran to arrange for a recitation of his poems at a program of Historical Association,
Chandran shows his inability in doing so as Prof. Raghavachar would not allow
this. Chandran invites Mohan to his house and listens to his poems every night.
Mohan proves to be a
great source of support to Chandran in the Malathi episode. Mohan lives
opposite to Malathi’s house and gathers all the information about Malathi for
Chandran. He is the audience of Chandran’s emotional outbursts and frustration
when he is at loggerheads with his family in the Malathi case. Chandran is hurt
that for his parents money and social status are more important than their son’s
happiness. When Mohan shows a poem titled ‘Money Love’, Chandran asks him to
take the poem with himself. He shows the poem to his father who feels hurt and
is pained to realize that Chandran has misunderstood them.
Chandran writes a
letter to Malathi and asks mohan to deliver it to her. In the letter he has
asked Malathi to wait for him for two years, the period after which the ill
effect of horoscope would be ineffective. Mohan fails to deliver the letter as
he does not find an opportunity. Chandran is furious and leaves Mohan’s room in
disgust.
After coming back, he
seeks some friend’s company to share all the facts and feelings that he cannot
talk about to his parents. He calls Mohan. Mohan becomes a great source of
support and strength in these tender times. When Chandran discloses to him that
he wants to be financially independent, it is Mohan who suggests him to take up
the agency of The Daily Messenger. He
also helps Chandran in setting up his business.
When Chandran is
nonplussed regarding getting married, it is Mohan who encourages him to look at
the positive side of this alliance, and is instrumental in making Chandran
agree to consider the marriage proposal. Mohan is a rock solid support to Chandran
and plays a significant role in shaping his life.
Natesan helps in
building Chandran’s confidence as an orator. He is the one who provides Chandran
with an opportunity to speak at a debate at the beginning of the novel. While
Chandran has a special dislike for a secretary’s job, he l;earns a lot from
Natesan when he is made one. Natesan helps Chandran in organizing Historical
Association’s meetings and guides him throughout. It is because of Natesan that
Chandran develops a respect for the post of secretary and realizes that every
job has its own set of challenges and one needs to accomplish their
responsibilities with labor and finesse.
Veeraswami is the
rebellious sort. He is anti-imperialism and is strong advocate of Indian
independence from British rule. He reads a paper condemning the British empire
at the Historical Association program and lands Chandran in a soup as Prof.
Brown and Prof. Raghavachar are very upset at this incident. He accompanies Chandran
to the banks of Sarayu after their college life is over. He forms a
Resurrection Brigade and looks for young enthusiast who would help him in
overthrowing the British government. Veeraswami’s character helps the reader
associate the novel with the time and milieu that it was a part of.
Pre-independence India and its unrest with the British government is voiced
through this character.
Renunciation and the
myths and images associated with it form an important theme in the novel.
Though renunciation as a significant factor comes into play in the third part
of the novel, a hint of the same is made in the first part in the flower-thief
episode. This episode brings to light the awe and respect that is bestowed on
people with ochre clothes in India.
There is a sudden
disappearance of flowers from their garden. Chandran’s mother is upset as she
fails to offer flowers during worship because of this theft. The family is
determined to catch the thief and they plan for an early morning ambush. They
fail the first morning and change their strategy for the second day. They
succeed and catch the thief who turns out to be a man in ochre clothes.
Chandran’s mother is horrified at the idea of punishing him for his offence.
Even Chandran’s father loosens his grip on the thief when he notices his
clothes. They do not punish him. Rather they reach at an understanding where
the thief promises to take only few flowers and leave some for Chandran’s
mother to offer for her daily worship.
Chandran is very
upset with this attitude of his parents and mentions that these sanyasis fool
people and take benefit of innocent people’s belief on them. It is ironical to
note that Chandran himself resorts to becoming a sanyasi and lives off people’s
charity, and faith in his spiritual superiority.
In order to escape
Kailas’s profligate ways, he runs away from the brothel. When he stops after
running across a few lanes, he sits down on the pavement and feels like going
back to Malgudi. But the thought of his mother’s heartless rigidity, horoscope,
Malathi’s wedding, and the pain of this suffering stops him from going back. He
decides to become a sanyasi instead. For him the world has lost its meaning and
significance. He wants to renounce and run away from the world. For him
renunciation is a means of escape from the harsh realities of his life. Instead
of facing his heartbreak with maturity and courage, he finds ways to blame
others and indulges in self-pity. He feels that his parents don not love him
enough to cast aside their prejudices. So he becomes a sanyasi with the help
of a barber called Ragavan.
He eats whatever
people offer him and sleeps in the open at night. The only challenge for him is
to control his urge for coffee. But determined to indulge in
self-mortification, he soon controls the urge.
After roaming for
around eight months across various districts, he comes to a village called Koopal
in Sainad district. He is tired and hungry and falls asleep under a tree. When
he wakes up, he finds himself surrounded by many villagers who feel honored
that a sadhu has stopped in their village. They want to talk to Chandran, but
Chandran is in no mood to respond. So he makes them understand that he has
taken a vow to remain silent. The villagers take him to be great saint who has
vowed to remain silent for ten years. They offer him fruits, food and other
gifts. Gradually, people from neighboring villages also start thronging the
place to seek Chandran’s blessings. Chandran lives under a tree, so they
arrange for a lantern and take care of all his needs. Chandran starts feeling
guilty of cheating the innocent villagers. They respect him for being a sage,
but he has embraced renunciation as an alternative to suicide. He is not a
sanyasi who has renounced the world in the path of god. He feels ashamed for
having caused so much of grief and worries to his parents. Overwhelmed by these
thoughts, he decides to return to his parents.
This period of eight
months is a time for him for some soul searching. It gives him enough space and
time to get the haze of confusion, frustration, and anger clear off his mind.
He realizes his mistakes and seems ready to bear his responsibility of being a
good son. Though he has still not matured enough to stop blaming others
(Malathi, in particular) for whatever happened, he realizes the futility of his
aimless wanderings. This renunciation is a leap forward for him towards
attaining emotional maturity.
Love as an emotion strikes Chandran twice and both the
time it changes his life completely. After the completion of his college, he
falls for Malathi at first sight and is hell-bent on marrying her. This love
affair disrupts the order and harmony of his life and offers the central
conflict in the novel. He is ready to fight against the whole world to be able
to marry Malathi. The whole idea of matching of horoscopes seem to be too
backward and stifling to him.
He is at loggerheads with his family and particularly blames
his mother for playing the villain in his love affair. First, she objects to
the low social status of Malathi’s parents; secondly, she finds it demeaning
and humiliating to make an offer of marriage to the girl’s parents as according
to custom it should happen the other way round. And then the whole horoscope
debacle serves as the last nail in the coffin.
Heartbroken, frustrated and full of bitterness for
everyone around, Chandran leaves the home to become a sanyasi. He constantly
blames Malathi, Mohan, his parents and Malathi’s parents for all the suffering
that he has to endure. Even when he Meets Susila for the first time and
instantly falls in love with her, he does not forget to compare her with
Malathi and think about Malathi contemptuously and mockingly.
But it is interesting to note that it is love only
that wipes away all this bitterness and reinstates his faith in love and life. He
is head over heels in love with Susila and raves about her qualities. The
contentment and bliss of this relationship makes him see things in better
perspective and he takes into account the fact that all the people have their
share of struggles and problems. He is ready to discount everything that he has
experienced and is willing to embrace the promising and happy future that lies
ahead. Only now he can think of Malathi as just a learning experience in his
life and wishes her all the health and happiness. With Susila’s love in his
life as an anchor, he is at ease with his life and circumstances. He has
achieved a level of emotional stability and maturity that was always lacking in
his personality. He is at peace with himself and the world around.
